Virtual Miura 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Seiden-ji Temple

      Seiden-ji Temple was founded by Priest Sogo in 1330’s.  The temple has a legend of a kappa, or a water imp.

     Besides the temple, there runs Suzuno River.  In the river, there used to live a kappa, who liked mischiefs and played tricks on villagers day and night.

     One day, a farmer came to the river, hitched his horse to a pole, and washed it.  Soon, it came untied.  He tied it again and again, and it came untied again and again.  He realized that a kappa was playing tricks, and caught it.

 

    Those who had been troubled by the kappa gathered around it and joined together to punish it.   The priest of Seiden-ji Temple learned the fuss and came up.  From mercy, he helped the kappa.  The priest reasoned the kappa out of mischiefs, and the kappa wrote an oath not to play tricks again.  It is unknown whether the temple still keeps the written oath or not.  Or did that really happen?

     Legend has it that 9,000 kappas first arrived at Harima River in Yatsushiro, Higo Province, Kyushu, from Yangzi River in China in the 4th century, and that they settled in the river.  It is also unknown how the 9,000 spread across Japan, and even reached Suzuno River.  Or did they really exist?

Address: 963 Kaneda, Minamishitauramachi, Miura, Kanagawa 238-0103

Phone: 046-888-0304